LA GRANGE COLLEGE-CO-EDUCATIONAL
Bits of History and Facts

La Grange Baptist College was founded in 1858 by the members of Wyaconda Baptist Association. The institution was located in La Grange because the citizens of this place contributed more money for the erection of the building than any other town in the association. The building was completed in 1858 and on September 15th of the same year its doors were opened for matriculation under the presidency of W. M. Ellis, who remained in charge till its doors closed by the civil war.
After the dark clouds of that troublous period had passed away Dr. J. F. Cook was chosen president of the institution and remained in charge till May, 1896, when he resigned to accept the presidency of Webb City College.
Dr. J. T. Muir was selected to succeed him and after five years' service was re-elected for a term of ten years.
While La Grange College has never had a heavy endowment like many other colleges, it has accomplished a grand work. Its graduates are found in all the walks of life and many of them are filling high positions in different states.
The large building, contains seventeen recitation, music and society rooms. The chapel, with a seating capacity of over for hundred, is furnished with elegant opera chairs, and is one of the most beautiful rooms in the state. Besides this building the college owns a number of dwelling houses in the town which afford a considerable income to the institution each year. It has a small endowment fund which was contributed by friends of the institution.
The attendance each year has been far above that of other colleges in northeast Missouri and the attendance bids fair to become greater.
There are four courses of study pursued in the college, one leading to the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, one to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, one leading to the degree of Bachelor of Letters, and one leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science. The grades from La Grange College are accepted in most universities throughout the land. It is co-educational.

JOSHUA FLOYD COOK, L. L. D.

It often happens that the life of some prominent individual furnishes material for the history of an entire community. Prosperity, in a worldly sense, usually depends on the combined efforts of a few public spirited men. Educational and religious progress is also due to the leadership of self-sacrificing, consecrated men and women whose unselfish lives are given to the advancement of public affairs.
No citizen in our community is more justly entitled to the honor of creating and arousing an educational and religious sentiment in northeast Missouri than Dr. J. F. Cook. He came here at a time when it took the courage of a Joshua to rear the standard of Christian education. The scattered remnants of churches wrecked by the ravages of civil war were being gathered together, and a few godly men were mustering their forces for an onward march. Society, on account of sectional strife, was torn asunder, and discord and disorganization reigned supreme.